Hi Everyone:
I am pleased to publish chapter 5 of my novel, RAPE. After reading it, I hope you will
comment on it. As you know, your comments and suggestions will help me during
its revision. If you missed any of the first four chapters, check the archives.
I also hope you will
decide to visit my website at: joshswritingroom.com where
you can find Part One of my novel Palm
Beach Style. You will be introduced to Special Agent Dugan of the FDLE
(Florida Department of Law Enforcement). It’s the first of four novels in which
he is the main character. While you are on the website, why not check out the
three novels that are available for your reading pleasure.
PATH TO A PARDON,
THE EINDHOVEN
STRATEGY,
& PALM BEACH
STYLE.
As each new chapter is published on this blog, the
previous chapter(s) should be archived, so even if you did not read it when it
first appeared, you can easily catch up. Your suggestions are appreciated and
will receive careful consideration.
CHAPTER 5
Gary slipped out the back door,
walked clear around the long rectangular building and managed to get
fifteen-feet from his car before the media herd recognized him. With key in
hand, he jogged the last few yards, closed and locked the door, to secure his
privacy.
Upon returning to the office, he
walked straight to Erica’s desk and asked, “Did Mr. Flaherty call?”
“Yes, Gary, he called about ten
minutes ago,” she said holding up a message slip. “Unfortunately, I was in the ladies room at
the time, and I failed to tell Martha to give him your cell phone number.”
Snatching the slip from her hand,
Gary strode to his office. The receptionist at the attorney’s office seemed
pleasant; “I’m sorry, she said, “but Mr. Flaherty has already left for the
day.” She took his cell phone number and suggested he call again tomorrow.
Gary asked, “Does he have a cell
phone? It’s important that I reach him.”
Reluctantly she provided the number.
He punched the number in and waited. The phone rang five times before the man
answered. Gary introduced himself, and just as he started to reveal the purpose
of the call, the man interrupted.
“I’ve been reading about you. Laddie,
you’re in a heap of trouble. Have you been arrested yet?”
“No sir. Not yet.”
“Well now, based on my experience I’d
say you can expect that most any time. Nature abhors a vacuum you know, and
between Queen Julia and the media, you’re about to fill one. I think we ought
to talk. Call my office and make an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. I’d
like to see you sooner but I’m on my way to a meeting and I’ve got to be in
court in the morning. In the meantime, my advice to you is don’t run and don’t
hide and above all don’t talk to anyone until you talk to me. The police are
probably watching you already.”
At
four-o-clock, with his glass-topped desk devoid of paperwork, Gary decided to
call it a day. Turning on Sandpiper Drive, he spotted a white panel truck with
television equipment mounted on its roof and on the sidewalk in front of his
home half-a-dozen reporters bunched together, more flies, he thought. He
recognized one of them, Miguel Gonzales, from the Dispatch, as he maneuvered
the Maserati up the driveway past the buzzing crowd. He wondered if Carol had
already called the police. If she called, would they come?
Striding through the gate at the back
of his property, he moved toward the house, but stopped when he heard a small
splash and spotted his son riding on one of the blow-up lounges at the deep end
of the pool. “Hi Robert!” he called. “How’s school?”
“Okay, I guess.”
“How come you’re all by yourself?
Where’s your buddy Allen? I thought you two were Siamese twins.”
“We were supposed to swim in his pool
but his mom told me to go home.”
“Did she say why?”
“Nah,” he sighed, and began to paddle
toward the shallow end of the pool.
Gary looked over the backyard fence.
The neighbor’s pool appeared empty. He shrugged, walked inside, and followed
the sounds coming from the living room. Carol, wearing jeans and a pullover
shirt had her hair up in curlers. She sat in a big armchair, her arms around
their daughter whose body racked with sobs.
He approached the pair. Squatting in
front of them he put a hand on Janet’s back, and whispered, “What’s the matter,
baby?”
Janet jerked her head around; the
sobbing stopped, her moist eyes stared at her father’s face. Pulling herself
free of her mother’s grasp, she stood, and then ran to the circular staircase.
Moments later the sound of her bedroom door slamming resounded through the
house.
Gary stood up, his gaze fixed on
Carol; he raised both palms, “Now what?”
Carol took a deep breath, “You’d
better hear it from Janet. Go to her, but be patient and be gentle.”
“I will,” he said. “And how was your
day?”
“Peachy, just peachy!”
He opted not to respond; instead made
his way upstairs. At Janet’s room, he knocked lightly before opening the door a
few inches, “Jan, honey, it’s me,” he said in a soft voice, “May I come in?”
“Oh, all right,” she sighed.
Gary figured she had been expecting
him, because she had already washed her face, brushed her hair, and now perched
primly on the side of her bed. He sat beside her and gently placed an arm
around her shoulders. She sagged against him. “I guess you had a real bad day,
huh?”
“Bummer,” she declared with another
sigh.”
“Want to tell me what happened?”
“Guess so,” she answered. “I hate my
school! All the kids rag on me. They say you’re a rapist. One of my best
friends says you’ll be a jailbird. Randy von Alstead insists that we have to
move because Palm Beach doesn’t allow rapists to live here. They say the police
are after you.”
“Janet, honey, listen to me. I’m your
father and I want you to know the truth. You know I never lie to you, don’t
you?”
She nodded and he pulled her a little
closer to him. “I went to see a client on business. She is a famous actress. I
stayed with her for a short time. I never touched her, but for some reason, she
told the police that I hit her and raped her. Now the police are investigating,
but so far they haven’t charged me with anything.”
“Daddy, I still don’t get it. I know
it isn’t good, but what exactly is rape?”
“Well, it’s a little hard for me to
explain. Let’s see . . . a rapist is a man who … who hurts a woman and then
does . . . what a father does to make babies except the woman doesn’t want him
to—.”
“What? Do you mean sex?”
Gary looked down at his daughter’s
innocent face and replied, “Yes.”
She scrunched her face together in a
scowl and exclaimed, “Ooh, Dad-dy! How could you?”
“I already told you that I didn’t do
that. Janet, you’ll just have to trust me. I’m telling you the truth. No matter
what anyone says, you have to know that I am not a rapist. The problem is, it
is almost impossible to prove that you didn’t do something.” When he looked up,
Carol stood in the doorway, her arms folded across her chest, biting the corner
of her bottom lip. She didn’t say anything, just shook her head, and walked
away.
Janet dislodged his arm and took his
hand in both of hers. “Daddy, all my friends are talking. I don’t know what to
say to them. I can’t go back to that school again. I won’t. You can’t make me.”
“Don’t worry, kiddo, I know how you
feel. Leave it to your mom and I, we’ll find a better school for you.”
She gave him a quick smile. “You
better find one for Robert too.”
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
QUESTIONS:
·
Did you think
Carol’s reaction to her husband was realistic?
·
How about
7-year old Robert’s reaction?
·
What did you
think of 9-year old Janet’s reaction, especially to her father’s explanation of
rape?
·
Did the chapter
ending make you want to read on?
·
At this point,
what do you think the chances are that Gary is guilty? (25
Hi Everyone:
I am pleased to publish chapter 5 of my novel, RAPE. After reading it, I hope you will
comment on it. As you know, your comments and suggestions will help me during
its revision. If you missed any of the first four chapters, check the archives.
I also hope you will
decide to visit my website at: joshswritingroom.com where
you can find Part One of my novel Palm
Beach Style. You will be introduced to Special Agent Dugan of the FDLE
(Florida Department of Law Enforcement). It’s the first of four novels in which
he is the main character. While you are on the website, why not check out the
three novels that are available for your reading pleasure.
PATH TO A PARDON,
THE EINDHOVEN
STRATEGY,
& PALM BEACH
STYLE.
As each new chapter is published on this blog, the
previous chapter(s) should be archived, so even if you did not read it when it
first appeared, you can easily catch up. Your suggestions are appreciated and
will receive careful consideration.
CHAPTER 5
Gary slipped out the back door,
walked clear around the long rectangular building and managed to get
fifteen-feet from his car before the media herd recognized him. With key in
hand, he jogged the last few yards, closed and locked the door, to secure his
privacy.
Upon returning to the office, he
walked straight to Erica’s desk and asked, “Did Mr. Flaherty call?”
“Yes, Gary, he called about ten
minutes ago,” she said holding up a message slip. “Unfortunately, I was in the ladies room at
the time, and I failed to tell Martha to give him your cell phone number.”
Snatching the slip from her hand,
Gary strode to his office. The receptionist at the attorney’s office seemed
pleasant; “I’m sorry, she said, “but Mr. Flaherty has already left for the
day.” She took his cell phone number and suggested he call again tomorrow.
Gary asked, “Does he have a cell
phone? It’s important that I reach him.”
Reluctantly she provided the number.
He punched the number in and waited. The phone rang five times before the man
answered. Gary introduced himself, and just as he started to reveal the purpose
of the call, the man interrupted.
“I’ve been reading about you. Laddie,
you’re in a heap of trouble. Have you been arrested yet?”
“No sir. Not yet.”
“Well now, based on my experience I’d
say you can expect that most any time. Nature abhors a vacuum you know, and
between Queen Julia and the media, you’re about to fill one. I think we ought
to talk. Call my office and make an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. I’d
like to see you sooner but I’m on my way to a meeting and I’ve got to be in
court in the morning. In the meantime, my advice to you is don’t run and don’t
hide and above all don’t talk to anyone until you talk to me. The police are
probably watching you already.”
At
four-o-clock, with his glass-topped desk devoid of paperwork, Gary decided to
call it a day. Turning on Sandpiper Drive, he spotted a white panel truck with
television equipment mounted on its roof and on the sidewalk in front of his
home half-a-dozen reporters bunched together, more flies, he thought. He
recognized one of them, Miguel Gonzales, from the Dispatch, as he maneuvered
the Maserati up the driveway past the buzzing crowd. He wondered if Carol had
already called the police. If she called, would they come?
Striding through the gate at the back
of his property, he moved toward the house, but stopped when he heard a small
splash and spotted his son riding on one of the blow-up lounges at the deep end
of the pool. “Hi Robert!” he called. “How’s school?”
“Okay, I guess.”
“How come you’re all by yourself?
Where’s your buddy Allen? I thought you two were Siamese twins.”
“We were supposed to swim in his pool
but his mom told me to go home.”
“Did she say why?”
“Nah,” he sighed, and began to paddle
toward the shallow end of the pool.
Gary looked over the backyard fence.
The neighbor’s pool appeared empty. He shrugged, walked inside, and followed
the sounds coming from the living room. Carol, wearing jeans and a pullover
shirt had her hair up in curlers. She sat in a big armchair, her arms around
their daughter whose body racked with sobs.
He approached the pair. Squatting in
front of them he put a hand on Janet’s back, and whispered, “What’s the matter,
baby?”
Janet jerked her head around; the
sobbing stopped, her moist eyes stared at her father’s face. Pulling herself
free of her mother’s grasp, she stood, and then ran to the circular staircase.
Moments later the sound of her bedroom door slamming resounded through the
house.
Gary stood up, his gaze fixed on
Carol; he raised both palms, “Now what?”
Carol took a deep breath, “You’d
better hear it from Janet. Go to her, but be patient and be gentle.”
“I will,” he said. “And how was your
day?”
“Peachy, just peachy!”
He opted not to respond; instead made
his way upstairs. At Janet’s room, he knocked lightly before opening the door a
few inches, “Jan, honey, it’s me,” he said in a soft voice, “May I come in?”
“Oh, all right,” she sighed.
Gary figured she had been expecting
him, because she had already washed her face, brushed her hair, and now perched
primly on the side of her bed. He sat beside her and gently placed an arm
around her shoulders. She sagged against him. “I guess you had a real bad day,
huh?”
“Bummer,” she declared with another
sigh.”
“Want to tell me what happened?”
“Guess so,” she answered. “I hate my
school! All the kids rag on me. They say you’re a rapist. One of my best
friends says you’ll be a jailbird. Randy von Alstead insists that we have to
move because Palm Beach doesn’t allow rapists to live here. They say the police
are after you.”
“Janet, honey, listen to me. I’m your
father and I want you to know the truth. You know I never lie to you, don’t
you?”
She nodded and he pulled her a little
closer to him. “I went to see a client on business. She is a famous actress. I
stayed with her for a short time. I never touched her, but for some reason, she
told the police that I hit her and raped her. Now the police are investigating,
but so far they haven’t charged me with anything.”
“Daddy, I still don’t get it. I know
it isn’t good, but what exactly is rape?”
“Well, it’s a little hard for me to
explain. Let’s see . . . a rapist is a man who … who hurts a woman and then
does . . . what a father does to make babies except the woman doesn’t want him
to—.”
“What? Do you mean sex?”
Gary looked down at his daughter’s
innocent face and replied, “Yes.”
She scrunched her face together in a
scowl and exclaimed, “Ooh, Dad-dy! How could you?”
“I already told you that I didn’t do
that. Janet, you’ll just have to trust me. I’m telling you the truth. No matter
what anyone says, you have to know that I am not a rapist. The problem is, it
is almost impossible to prove that you didn’t do something.” When he looked up,
Carol stood in the doorway, her arms folded across her chest, biting the corner
of her bottom lip. She didn’t say anything, just shook her head, and walked
away.
Janet dislodged his arm and took his
hand in both of hers. “Daddy, all my friends are talking. I don’t know what to
say to them. I can’t go back to that school again. I won’t. You can’t make me.”
“Don’t worry, kiddo, I know how you
feel. Leave it to your mom and I, we’ll find a better school for you.”
She gave him a quick smile. “You
better find one for Robert too.”
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
QUESTIONS:
·
Did you think
Carol’s reaction to her husband was realistic?
·
How about
7-year old Robert’s reaction?
·
What did you
think of 9-year old Janet’s reaction, especially to her father’s explanation of
rape?
·
Did the chapter
ending make you want to read on?
·
At this point
what do you think the chances are that Gary is guilty?
